Nitrous oxide generalizes to a discriminative stimulus produced by ethylketocyclazocine but not morphine

The discriminative stimulus properties of nitrous oxide, an analgesic and anesthetic gas, were evaluated in rats trained to discriminate the effects of morphine or ethylketocyclazocine. Administration of nitrous oxide in concentrations as high as 80 percent did not produce generalization to the discriminative cue produced by morphine. Nitrous oxide did, however, generalize in a concentration-dependent manner in rats trained to discriminate ethylketocyclazocine, a psychotomimetic opioid. Naltrexone, a potent narcotic antagonist, did not block the generalization of nitrous oxide to ethylketocyclazocine. These results suggest that the subjective effects of nitrous oxide are similar to those produced by psychotomimetic drugs rather than those produced by morphine. These findings are in close agreement with those generated in man. Thus, nitrous oxide exhibits some pharmacological properties similar to those of morphine, for example, naloxone reversible analgesia. Yet, it has other properties such as subjective effects that are dissimilar from morphine.